Hi guys, just saying hello, I was diagnosed with type 2 just before Xmas and I am still trying to get my head round everything, at the moment I am diet controlled, I am waiting for my appointment at DESMOND through the NHS but that won't be until April so I am trying to find out as much as I can online hence the reason for joining this organisation.
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- Thread starter Sav277
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Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Sav2777, welcome to the forum 🙂 I would suggest starting by reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter which offer an excellent introduction to what it is all about, plus the superb book Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker is well worth getting hold of 🙂
The main thing to bear in mind is that it is carbohydrates that are the chief culprits in making our blood glucose levels rise, so it can be very useful to start a food diary, writing down the amount (in grams) of carbohydrate in everything you eat and drink. This will provide you with a view of your current diet and your daily consumption of carbs which you can then use as the basis for adjusting your diet to improve its effect on your levels. Ideally, you will use a blood glucose meter to monitor the effects of your food, although unfortunately these are rarely given to diet-controlled people as they say you 'don't need to test'. This isn't really the reason, they are looking to save money short-term - using a meter is the only tool you can use to discover your tolerances for various different meals, and without it you would just be guessing, I'm afraid. If you haven't been given one, it's worth getting your own - the cheapest option we have come across is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50. You won't need to test forever, just whilst you establish your dietary do's and don'ts, and it will allow you the greatest flexibility in your diet going forward. Have a read of the excellent blog article Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand the purpose of testing and how to do it efficiently 🙂
It's quite a steep learning curve, but you don't have to get it right overnight, so take things at a pace you feel happy with and please ask any questions you may have as there is always someone here happy to help! 🙂
The main thing to bear in mind is that it is carbohydrates that are the chief culprits in making our blood glucose levels rise, so it can be very useful to start a food diary, writing down the amount (in grams) of carbohydrate in everything you eat and drink. This will provide you with a view of your current diet and your daily consumption of carbs which you can then use as the basis for adjusting your diet to improve its effect on your levels. Ideally, you will use a blood glucose meter to monitor the effects of your food, although unfortunately these are rarely given to diet-controlled people as they say you 'don't need to test'. This isn't really the reason, they are looking to save money short-term - using a meter is the only tool you can use to discover your tolerances for various different meals, and without it you would just be guessing, I'm afraid. If you haven't been given one, it's worth getting your own - the cheapest option we have come across is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50. You won't need to test forever, just whilst you establish your dietary do's and don'ts, and it will allow you the greatest flexibility in your diet going forward. Have a read of the excellent blog article Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand the purpose of testing and how to do it efficiently 🙂
It's quite a steep learning curve, but you don't have to get it right overnight, so take things at a pace you feel happy with and please ask any questions you may have as there is always someone here happy to help! 🙂
Lynn Davies
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi and welcome to the forum Sav227. It is a steep learning curve isn't it! Stick with us and you will be ok 
Mark Parrott
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Welcome to the forum! We are all bonkers here, so i'm sure you'll fit in just fine.
Thanks for the welcome guys, Northerner I have read with interest your comments and read through the articles you mentioned, I have already tried to watch my carb intake but the article about testing glucose levels before and after meals makes massive sense, I haven't had much advice from anyone as I mentioned I am waiting for my Desmond appointment so the meter and extra strips have been ordered, I also ordered the Gretchen Becker book which arrived this morning I got it used from Amazon for £2.45 (tight Yorkshire man) so I have plenty of reading to do and hopefully get more of an insight into this awful disease so thanks again for the advise.
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
You're very welcome 🙂 From another tight Yorkshire man, who knows where you are coming from!
silentsquirrel
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
My parents were both from Yorkshire and I also had a Scottish grandfather, so I reckon I inherited a double dose of tightness!
But my dad always said he wasn't tight, he was careful!!
Welcome, Sav.
But my dad always said he wasn't tight, he was careful!!
Welcome, Sav.
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